Ever since the catchy, accusatory awesomeness of the song “Rick Nandise” came blasting out of area headphones last year, it’s been obvious that Wilmington punk duo Astro Cowboy is a band to take real seriously.

And even though nothing on Astro Cowboy’s new album, “Hedonism Colosseum,” which came out July 13, has quite the anthemic appeal of “Rick Nandise” – which had dozens of the band’s fans singing along to every word during a show at Bourgie Nights last month – its intricate, well-crafted tunes make “Hedonism” one of the best, most exciting records by a Wilmington band that I’ve heard in 20-plus years of covering music in this town.

Lead singer and songwriter Travis Harrington is a gifted guitarist, adept at delivering both hard-charging skronk as well as more meditative moments, and his playing meshes well with the drumming of Kameron Vann, whose riffs and fills bounce off his bandmate’s lyrics like playful punches. But what makes “Hedonism Colosseum” important as a work of art is that it’s an emotionally resonant tribute to high school, when everything that happened seemed like the most important thing in the world, because in your world, it was. Both Harrington and Vann graduated high school this year, so their closeness to the subject gives the album a thrilling immediacy.

“Hedonism Colosseum” begins with the Dinosaur-Jr.-like blast of “White Shoes,” which has an edgy pop vibe and lyrics about a relationship in trouble (“Nothing’s ever gonna work/ Hopefully we can make that work”) with imagery that circles back to the title footwear.

“Suntan” has jangly guitars that rattle and drive, while “Stare,” with its Strokes-y intro and bass line (the band plays live as a duo but a number of the songs on “Hedonism” have bass) takes on a melodically mathy edge. The exquisite “Big Blue,” which looks back on a ruined romance, has delirious, angular lyrics that are both simple and complex and that timelessly evoke the madness of being young and in love: “Made this mess/ Made myself/ Am the mess/ Need some help … Feel so bad and so upset/ Frustrated, full of regret.”

The epic ballad “Math Class (Is a Blast)” has a awesomely sarcastic chorus, soft-loud dynamics and lyrics that factor in math terms without feeling clunky. As with other tunes on the album, “Math Class” is a multi-partner that takes forays into sonic breakdowns that feel like natural offshoots.

Throughout, Harrington’s raw vocals give his tunes a ragged emotional edge. Producer Holt Evans II, a longtime participant in the Wilmington music scene as part of the band Hungry Mind Review and other acts, helps create a sound that’s clean but gritty enough that it never sounds sanitized.

With a band that’s as young as Astro Cowboy, there are no guarantees. But no matter what happens, with this extraordinary album they’ve distilled the beauty and trauma of some of life’s most turbulent years and preserved it in a way that’s nearly perfect.

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The WAE: Wilmington-area Arts & Entertainment is dedicated to experiencing, discussing and promoting the arts in Southeastern N.C. From theater and all manner of music to visual art, dance, festivals and more, The WAE is populated by people who are immersed in local A&E. If it’s about A&E in Southeastern N.C., then we’re all about it.